A Time to Every Purpose
by Deandra
Summary: Cassian Andor's business, inherited from his father, had struggled since his father was accused of theft by Empire Labs, many years ago. Now he finds himself confronted by Empire's owner wanting his assistance. If he didn't need the business, he might have turned Jyn Erso away. A modern Rogue One/rebelcaptain AU.
1. Time to Every Purpose 1

_**A/N: Okay, so I'm not known for writing 'modern AU' versions of my various fandoms. In fact, I think this is an absolute first. But I woke the other morning to this idea, and it demanded to see the light of day, so much so that I kept writing on it all through the course of the day. So I guess we get this next, and then I go back to working on the various works I have in progress.**_

**A Time to Every Purpose**

**Chapter 1**

Cassian tugged the door closed. The cold weather sometimes made it stick. He'd have to remember to have a look at that tomorrow. Certainly he didn't need anything discouraging customers. If not for his regulars, and the business contracts, he'd be struggling even more. Ever since the large, fancy watch and clock shop opened at the mall, less than a mile away, business had been dwindling. People tended to like bright, shiny and new more than antique craftsmanship.

With a click the lock turned into place. He was just pulling the key free when he heard a shout.

"Wait! Oh, please, wait!"

Rushing to cross the busy street – he winced as she nearly got hit twice – was a young woman, probably a few years younger than him. Not his typical customer, so he couldn't imagine what she wanted. Maybe directions to the mall, he thought sourly.

She skidded to a stop in front of him, slightly out of breath, and he waited for her to speak. Instead, she was gazing in his shop window at the display of old clocks and watches.

"Did you want something, miss?" he prompted. It was cold and he thought longingly of slippers on his feet, sitting in his favorite chair in front of a fire with supper in hand. It had been a long day and he didn't want pointless delays in ending it.

"Oh, yes, sorry. I was told you could help me with a watch."

"I'm sorry. The shop is closed. Come back tomorrow and I'll see what I can do." He started to turn away, figuring never to see her again. Likely she was window-shopping and wouldn't actually buy anything anyway.

"No, wait!" she exclaimed breathlessly, catching hold of his arm to stop him. "Could…could you at least take a look at it." Her voice dropped and she looked down. "Tell me if I'm wasting my time like they said."

Curiosity got the better of him, and before he could check the impulse, he asked, "Who said?"

Her green eyes flicked up to meet his. They were really lovely eyes. In a lovely woman for that matter, albeit a short one. She must be half a foot shorter than he was, and he wasn't considered particularly tall.

A look of hope flashed on her face. "At the mall. The watch store there. They said I should just buy something new and not waste my time fixing something so old, but…but it's important."

The comfortable image of a warm fire melted away and he let out a sigh, reopening the shop door. "I guess we should go inside out of the cold." His response wasn't enthusiastic, but she _was_ potentially an actual customer. His bank account wouldn't thank him if he turned her away.

Winter brought an early darkness. While he could readily navigate through the shop without a light, he didn't want to trust that she could follow without knocking into something. He flicked on a light as he led the way toward his office in the back. A soft click of nails on the wood floor alerted him to K's approach. "I have a dog," he warned. "He's very gentle, so don't be alarmed. But I'll keep him away from you if you don't like dogs."

"Oh, no, that's fine. I love dogs. What kind is he?"

"A black lab. Mostly black. Due to his age, he has a lot of gray in his muzzle now, old fellow." K reached him then and shoved a cold nose into his hand, giving a lick of welcome. No doubt he was surprised Cassian had returned so soon.

As he continued on, K fell in at his side. It wasn't clear whether he had not noticed the woman due to his failing faculties, or was ignoring her. He tended to be stand-offish with strangers.

The change in temperature was noticeable as he moved into the office. The shop was already cooling from the lowered thermostat, but he kept the office warmer during the night for K's benefit. He had tried taking the dog home with him at night, but K would just curl up on his cushion and pretend to sleep whenever he was ready to leave for the day. He had spent the majority of his life in this shop, always at the side of Cassian's father. Cassian might be his new owner, but he still considered this space his home. When people asked, he told them he left the dog here for 'security'.

Cassian turned to the woman, who stood in the doorway surveying the small office. "Well? You wanted me to look at something?"

"Oh, sorry. Yes." She fished in her purse and carefully pulled out an object wrapped well in soft cloth. Almost tenderly she opened the bundle to draw forth an old pocket watch. "At the mall, they said…they said I should just buy something new. That it was too old to bother with. When I insisted, they wouldn't touch it. Said it was too old and they didn't want to be liable if an antique got damaged. They just kept trying to sell me a new watch. But someone at work mentioned your shop, that you worked on older timepieces. You're my last hope. No one else can or will do anything."

Certainly he could believe her story about the mall. He had heard similar stories about them before. They seemed more interested in selling customers something new – and expensive – than in repairing an older item, regardless of any sentimental value. He wasn't even sure they knew what sentimental value was.

It was well-kept, with few scratches or dings in the metal or glass facing. There was an inscription on the back: "From Dad" and then a date almost fifty years earlier.

"It belongs to my grandfather," the woman offered, noticing his study of the inscription. "His father gave it to him on his forty-fourth birthday. The day my dad was born, his first grandchild."

It was evident from her tone of voice there was much more to the story than she had provided, but it wasn't any of his business. And not necessary to know in order to fix a watch, he reminded himself.

Carefully he worked the back cover open to take a look inside. It wasn't overwound, sometimes a problem when people got overzealous. It could do with a little cleaning, but there was nothing readily visible that might be causing an issue. "When did it stop working?"

"Last week. Granddad keeps asking for it, so I can only get it away from him for short periods to have someone look at it. But I know it troubles him that it stopped working." She hesitated, then added, "I think…I think he sees it as portending his own death."

He glanced up at her. She admirably held her tears in check, as if she'd had a lot of practice doing so. Perhaps the grandfather wasn't so mistaken in his notion that his days were numbered.

"I can't make any promises. I can clean it well, and check all the parts to make sure nothing is broken, but…well, sometimes they just wear out. I might be able to scavenge parts to fix it, but I might not. Rebuilding it with new workings would be an expensive route. That's the problem with dealing in antiques. Parts are hard to come by." He rubbed a thumb over the patina surface with the inscription. He hated when he wasn't able to restore beauties like this one.

Forcing himself out of his reverie, he told her, "Leave it with me tonight and I'll work on it tomorrow, see what I can do. Check back later in the week, or I can call you when I know more."

She bit her lip, then shook her head. "It's not that I don't trust you, but, well, Granddad would be upset if he didn't have it. Could I bring it back tomorrow morning?"

From the sound of it, she'd hover over him while he worked, wanting prompt attention paid solely to it. And she'd want it finished by the end of the day. He wanted to help her, and he certainly could use the business, but these things took time. He shook his head. Replacing the watch back, he returned it to her.

"Like I said, I can't promise anything and I don't know how long it will take to fix. You might have to bring it back several times and leave it here most of the day. I do have other work I have to do also. The shop is closed Wednesdays when I travel."

Her face fell, but then she stiffened with resolve. "Tell me what to do and I'll do it. If there's any hope of it being repaired, I want to take it."

That was surprising. It was usually older people who felt so strongly about antiques. "Okay. The shop opens at eight o'clock tomorrow. Bring it in as early as possible to give me as much time for it as I can spare around working on other things. Maybe you'll get lucky and I can find the problem quickly."

The bright smile that lit her face was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. He couldn't help but smile in return, suddenly very glad he had yielded to her entreaty to speak with her tonight.

"Yes, I'll do that. I can bring it by before I go to work. Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means!"

"I hope I don't disappoint you," he said, feeling the need to remind her that he might fail. It was best to manage expectations or he ended up with upset customers.

"You'll try. That's the important thing. No one else would even consider it." She hesitated, thinking. "Would…would you let me buy you dinner? I feel guilty making you stay late to talk to me. I'm sure you wanted to get home. Unless your family is waiting for you, of course."

His eyebrows knit. Was she subtly trying to determine his marital status? Surely not. They'd just met and spent all of fifteen minutes together. It was nearly Christmas – likely it was just a generous gesture that he should accept at face value.

"Thank you, but that isn't necessary. You didn't delay me for long, and no doubt you have other things to do." He shoved to his feet, turning off the desk lamp.

"Please? I mean, I know this is kind of forward of me to ask and all, but I hate eating alone and really don't feel like going home to prepare anything."

She was persistent, he'd give her that. Oh well, it couldn't hurt anything and if it made her feel better, why not. It was a more desirable option than having to fix something for himself. He was a good cook, but some nights he just didn't feel much like making the effort, and he couldn't quite stomach pre-packaged food.

"Sure, fine. There's a diner down the street. They have good food and aren't expensive." He reached down and scratched K's ears. "Good night, again, K. See you in the morning." He glanced at the water bowl to make sure it was still full.

K waved his tail and went to settle on his cushion in the corner, dropping his head to his paws. It was his form of dismissal that always caused Cassian to smile.

Cassian turned and gestured toward the door for the woman to precede him to the shop exit, and he turned out lights as he went. Once again locking the shop door, he indicated the direction they should go, and they fell into step side by side.

"Your dog's name is K? That's kind of unusual."

"Actually, it's K2," he corrected.

"Is it. That's even more unusual. Why?"

He rubbed the back of his neck with embarrassment. "You can blame my cousin for that. She was only two when she first met the new puppy that my dad got and when he asked her to help name the dog, she promptly called him 'Kitty Kat'. Obviously that didn't work for a dog, but she refused to accept anything else. So the rest of us took to calling him K2 as a compromise and that's been his name ever since."

She smiled warmly at the tale, to his relief. It was always awkward explaining the dog's name. Speaking of names… "By the way, you haven't told me your name yet. I'm Cassian, owner of the shop you just visited."

"Oh, right. Sorry, I always forget that bit – I'm Jyn. I was so focused on the watch I didn't pay attention to the proprieties."

Jyn. It was a nice name. Somehow it suited her.

They reached the diner just then. "Here," he gestured, holding the door open for her to enter.

Inside, she took a moment to look around. She seemed to do that in new environments – first the shop and now here. Not a bad idea to get the lay of the land, he supposed.

"Do you want to sit at the counter, at a table or in a booth?" he asked. He always claimed the booth in the back, farthest from the door. It afforded some small bit of privacy and quiet when he had lunch here.

To his surprise, she pointed to that very spot. "How about there? I don't like sitting in the middle of a crowd."

There were only a handful of diners this early in the evening, but he understood what she meant. "Sure. That one's fine."

They were only just seated when a young man ambled over with water for them. "Hi, Cassian!"

"Hello, Teddy. How are you today?"

"I'm fine. Who's she?" Teddy's condition meant his comments were not always filtered, and he operated at the mental level of an older child. Jyn's cheeks had gone pink at the question.

"This is Jyn, Teddy. She's one of my customers."

"Hi, Jyn," Teddy said promptly, giving her a wide smile.

Cassian knew Teddy could get distracted, so he kept him on target by asking, "Would you bring us some menus? Jyn hasn't eaten here before."

"Sure Cassian. I'll be right back." He wandered off, winding his way through the tables, and Jyn's eyes followed the young man.

At length, she turned to him. "He has Down Syndrome?"

Cassian nodded. "But don't think that he's incapable of doing his job. Teddy takes his work very seriously, and has great pride in doing it well." He smiled. "He's been a fixture here ever since I first walked in the door."

"He's fortunate. Not a lot of business owners want to hire people with developmental disorders. Or they want to take advantage of them."

"Not here. Chirrut and Baze are his foster parents as well as his bosses. They encourage him to try anything that interests him, and they keep a close eye on him to make sure none of the customers try anything…mean."

"Good." She said it firmly. "I hate seeing all the thoughtless things people do to anyone who is different." Changing subjects in the blink of an eye, she asked, "You've been coming here a long time?"

"Several years, yes. My father introduced me to the place, and I stop in for breakfast or lunch, and sometimes even dinner, whenever I don't cook something for myself. It's convenient and enough food variety that it doesn't get boring." He grinned. "Baze likes to experiment with new dishes and often uses me as his guinea pig for taste-testing!"

"Well, then, do I even need to look at the menu? Surely you can recommend something good right off the top of your head."

He shrugged. "For me, yes, but I have no idea what kind of food you like, or if you have allergies or anything else that might need to be considered."

She bowed her head with a smile. "Yes, I suppose that is true. I haven't told you anything for you to work with. Knowing I have a grandfather who is greatly attached to his pocket watch isn't very helpful." She shrugged. "Not a lot to tell. I work at a boring job, and I live with my granddad and his live-in nurse. Since dad died, it's just the two of us. No pets in the house, and I eat just about anything, so long as it's cooked. I don't much care for rare or raw."

He studied her for a moment. That wasn't especially helpful either. It was information that wasn't particularly informative. Still, it did provide a basis to work from, a starting point, regarding dinner.

"Fair enough," he told her. "Nothing raw it is."

Just then Teddy returned with the menus. "Here Cassian. And Jyn." He gave them both a proud grin.

"Thank you, Teddy," Jyn replied, before Cassian could speak. "It may take a few minutes for us to decide what to order."

"Okay. I'll come back in a few minutes," Teddy told her earnestly, as Cassian gave her an approving nod. Not everyone was so kind and tolerant toward the young man.

"If you're easy to please with food, perhaps you will want to do what I often do – just tell Baze to 'surprise me'. He's never disappointed me yet."

She looked a little hesitant, so he added, "Trust me. I've never had a bad meal here."

She settled back and eyed him closely, then nodded and set down the menu. "You're on. You didn't try to oversell on the watch repair, so I'll trust that you're not doing it now either."

Teddy must have been watching them, for he reappeared almost the moment they set down the menus. "You want to order now?"

Cassian smiled at him. "Yes, tell Baze to surprise us. And I'll have a coffee." To Jyn he queried, "Do you want something to drink?"

"Yes, hot chocolate? Do they have that?"

"We have the _best_ hot chocolate!" Teddy assured her exuberantly.

They both laughed. "Hot chocolate it is, then," Jyn affirmed.

The young man collected the menus and headed toward the back of the diner.

"The 'best' hot chocolate?" Jyn raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"He's not wrong. While Teddy just loves hot chocolate in general, Chirrut does have a knack for it. All his drinks seem to taste just that little bit better than most. I haven't been able to determine if he actually puts something unusual in them, or how he accomplishes it, but…well, you'll see."

The conversation lapsed at that point. Cassian had never been much for chitchat. It was easy enough to talk to customers when he could focus on the repairs or what they wanted to buy or sell. But just talking? Particularly with an essential stranger? Perhaps she had drawn the same conclusion as she kept looking around rather than at him.

"I'm surprised they haven't decorated for the holidays in here. Most places have decked the halls ad nauseum," Jyn observed.

"And that is why. They feel like people need to have a place where they can get a break from all the incessant holiday spirit for a few minutes of their day. Chirrut says it helps to ease their seasonal stress. Whether that is true or not, I don't know, but it does feel like a breath of cool air on a hot day coming in here. At least to me."

After a moment, Jyn nodded. "Agreed." And with that, they lapsed back into silence.

The quiet did not last long, as Chirrut accompanied Teddy back with their drinks. While the young man carefully set their cups in front of them, Chirrut greeted them both. "Captain! Good to see you again, and to meet your lovely friend, Jyn."

Cassian had discovered long ago that Chirrut was fond of using visual phrasing despite his blindness, but it always caught newcomers off their guard and Jyn was no exception. Whatever her thoughts about it, though, she merely hazarded a guess, "And you are Chirrut, perhaps? Teddy assures me you make the best hot chocolate."

Chirrut chuckled fondly, patting his son's back. "He is prejudiced in my favor, but I have been told it is quite good. At least no one has ever complained." The bell on the door rang just then as more people came in. "Hark! I hear work calling me, if you will excuse me. I will try to come by later and get your opinion."

Teddy left with him and Jyn raised an eyebrow at Cassian. "Captain?"

Cassian flushed slightly. "I was in the service for several years, and Chirrut persists in using my old rank. Baze, too, for that matter. It really isn't appropriate outside the service, but I haven't the heart to insist they stop."

Looking to change the subject, he asked, "Someone at your work recommended my shop to you?"

She nodded. "One of the reporters. I work at the newspaper – I'm not sure if I mentioned that before. He didn't say if he'd had work done on something or what, but he was quite insistent that I check with you. I don't even know how he found out about my problem. I barely know Bodhi."

"Bodhi? Bodhi Rook?" Cassian sat up straighter in surprise.

"Ummm, yes, I think Rook is his last name. Why? Do you know him?"

Cassian's face reflected astonishment at the twist of fate. "Actually, yes, I do. He's another foster son of Baze and Chirrut. I've met him several times."

"Oh. Well that makes sense, then. Small world, isn't it?" She gave a sigh. "This would have been so much easier when Mr. Tino was still working for my father." When Cassian looked puzzled, she explained, "My grandfather had several antique clocks at his business, which later became my father's business. Mr. Tino would come in and service them periodically. Unfortunately, father's business manager caught Mr. Tino stealing and he was dismissed. It was too bad. I really liked Mr. Tino the few times I met him. It's hard to imagine he would steal."

Cassian had become more and more rigid in his seat, and now his anger bled out. "My father is not a thief, and he never was. No matter what Krennic said. It was a lie!"

Jyn blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Tino Andor was my father, falsely accused of theft and dismissed from working for your father. The charges were dropped when they could never find evidence to prove it, but his reputation suffered," Cassian told her frostily.

"I..I didn't know. I always called him Mr. Tino." Jyn bit her lip. After several uncomfortable moments of silence, she told him, "Look, I wasn't involved in any of that, so I don't know the details – only what I was told. But…but I'll understand if you don't want to fix my grandfather's watch."

"Business is business," he told her in clipped tones, not releasing any of the tension holding his body taut.

After a moment, Jyn laid aside her napkin. "I think…I think I'll go wash my hands before the food comes."

He pointed off to the right. "Back there."

Once she was out of sight, he slumped with frustration, rubbing at his face. He had thought this was all behind him, the damage done and slowly being forgotten. Apparently that was not the case. People still believed Tino Andor had stolen from Empire Labs, even without supporting evidence. His name would always be tainted with that false accusal of Krennic's. He half thought Krennic had been the thief, and had used Cassian's father as the scapegoat to deflect attention from himself. Had he not still been in the service and too far away to do anything, he might have investigated. By the time he got out and home, his father's health was declining and he had a business to salvage.

"Heavy thoughts make for indigestion, my friend."

Cassian jumped slightly, not having noticed Baze approaching. He gave a rueful smile. "True enough. I just got some bad news unexpectedly."

Baze sat down next to him, shoving one plate from his tray in front of Cassian and placing the other across in the empty spot. "Set it aside and enjoy your dinner. You can't solve anything right this minute. Worry about the problem afterwards." He looked around. "Did your friend go to the restroom?"

"Presumably. Unless she sneaks out the back to avoid me."

Baze chuckled. "Your company is that disagreeable, is it?"

"Not mine so much, just…the circumstances. Her father owns…owned… the company that fired my father for theft."

"Hmmm. Well, all I can tell you is that Chirrut and Teddy liked her. Maybe she didn't have anything to do with that. Don't blame her for something that she might not have had control over."

"Whether I do or not, whether she did or not, knowing it taints our…association. It makes it difficult to think of anything else in her presence."

Baze grinned as he rose to return to the kitchen. "I got a glimpse of her, little brother. If that's what is on your mind when you look at her, then maybe you need your eyes checked." He grinned cheekily and walked away, ignoring Cassian's scowl at his back.

The man wasn't entirely wrong, though. She was an attractive woman, a customer and, so far, pleasing company. She had reacted well to Teddy and to Chirrut's blindness. In and of herself, he rather thought he was starting to like her. Until that bucket of freezing water she dropped on him about her father's company. Still, as Baze noted, she wasn't involved in that incident, didn't even seem to know all the details. And she hadn't thought his father would be a thief from having met the man a few times. He rubbed his forehead. This dinner was going to be excruciating to get through. Assuming she really hadn't ducked out the back to avoid him. She did seem to be taking a long time in the restroom.

Just then, she returned and her manner was greatly subdued. She carefully placed her napkin in her lap and examined her 'surprise' dinner. At least she didn't appear to think it a bad choice. Finally, she said, "This looks delicious." She looked over at his plate. "Is yours the same thing?"

Comparing the two, Cassian shook his head. "I don't think so. Baze knows I like a kick of spice in my food. He's more careful about adding it to what he gives other customers unless he knows they like that kind of thing."

She pressed her lips together briefly. "You have good friends," she said quietly, not explaining the remark.

Just then, however, he glimpsed Chirrut come from the restroom area, and his eyes narrowed. Perhaps Baze's delivery of the food wasn't so innocent as it had seemed. Those two were fond of meddling when they felt a situation called for their help, even if those involved in the situation weren't necessarily in agreement with that assessment.

"Chirrut spoke to you, didn't he? I'm sorry. They mean well."

She shook her head. "He didn't say anything I wasn't already thinking."

With a sigh he assured her, "I'll still try to fix your grandfather's watch. I know it's important to you. And to him. If I hold a grudge, it's with Krennic, not with you."

"Thank you." She picked up her fork to begin eating, and apparently to end the uncomfortable conversation. He couldn't object to that.

They ate in virtual silence, with only an occasional polite comment on either side. Cassian could guess that she was as glad when they finished and departed as he was. Still, he had been raised a gentleman, so he couldn't let her walk away into the night unescorted. "Do you have a way home? It isn't late, but after dark is when the no-goods come out to play."

"I'll be fine. I rode the bus, and the stop is just there. The corner is well lit, and" – she glanced at her watch – "the bus should be by any minute now."

"Oh, okay. I'll just wait with you until it comes."

He thought she was going to argue about it, but fortunately the bus turned the corner at the end of the block so it became a moot point. He still waited until she was safely onboard, before giving a single wave of farewell and heading on to his car.

When he finally got home, he did end up sitting in front of the fire in his slippers, but it was not so relaxing as he had anticipated earlier when leaving work. His mind wouldn't stop rehashing the conversations during the course of the evening, and his emotions were on a roller coaster. One minute he was calm and fine with treating her as just another customer, and the next the old anger and resentment had flared again leaving him with no desire to have anything to do with her or anyone else in her family.

His turmoiled thoughts made it difficult to drop off to sleep, though he finally did. Unfortunately, when he got up to use the bathroom during the wee hours of the morning, his mind kicked in again chewing on yesterday's events, and he never managed to get any more real sleeping done.

After all that, part of him cynically believed she'd try harder to find someone else to work on the watch – anything to avoid returning to his shop. By the time he was parking his car, he had convinced himself that would be the case, so he was more than a little surprised to see her waiting at the door when he arrived.

Not only that, she looked to be bearing gifts.

"I brought coffee and danish. If you haven't eaten. I wasn't sure what your routine was. If you, you know, don't want it, I can always take it to the office with me. Someone there will be glad to claim it."

She avoided looking directly at him while she spoke, and something inside of him settled. His unruly thoughts slipped away and the anger and resentment retreated back to the hole he had dug for them. Hopefully, he could keep them there.

"Thank you," he replied, fumbling for the key. As he held the door for her, he flipped over the Welcome sign, and then moved to the light switch.

When they reached his office, he gestured to the chair. "Have a seat. I need to let K2 out for a few minutes."

She nodded and K shuffled after him to the back door. There was a small patch of dirt about a dozen feet down the alley, and K went straight for it, following their regular morning ritual. By the time they returned to the office, Jyn had cleared the desktop into neat piles to the side and set out a mini picnic breakfast. A smile quirked his lips when he noticed she had set two places.

"Wow, much more impressive than my usual breakfast," he commented, taking a seat. "Normally I just grab a cup of coffee and drink it while I work."

She shrugged. "Yes, well, I know this is business and all, but I really do appreciate your being willing to work on the watch. No one else wanted to help, or even be bothered." She made a face that caused him to smile.

He gestured to a sign on the wall warning that the shop was not liable for damages, but told her, "I try to make sure my customers understand that when working with old or antique items anything can happen. Sometimes they get broken, well, broken _more_ than they were, and it can't always be repaired. Obviously I try to avoid that, but there is always a risk."

"But you're willing to try, to help people. I think…I think most people appreciate that."

He didn't quite know how to respond to her remark, so he settled for, "Thank you. And thank you again for breakfast."

K2 was eyeing him hopefully, so he opened the desk and got a dog treat. He'd set out K's food once Jyn was gone. His customers didn't generally arrive right on the stroke of eight and he had a few minutes to settle in and do such things. Jyn's presence threw him off his stride a little.

"So we don't forget the purpose of this visit, you brought the watch?"

"Oh, yes." She set down her coffee and dug in her purse. The watch was still lovingly wrapped in cloth as the day before.

"How did you convince your grandfather to part with it for the entire day?" he asked, taking the final bite of his danish.

To his surprise, her cheeks pinked. "I, uh, I sort of fibbed to him." She wet her lips. "You see, he still remembers Mr. Tino – well, he does sometimes, anyway – so I said Mr. Tino's son was going to try to fix it for him. I…I led him to believe that your father was still alive, but retired." She looked up and then her expression became a little defiant. "I just didn't want to drag up everything from the past, and he felt his watch was safe with Mr. Tino. He's…he's sort of forgotten all that issue about your father being dismissed." She glanced down at her hands. "He's forgotten a lot of things. More and more, lately."

For a couple of minutes Cassian remained silent, but then simply replied, "Well, I hope his faith in Mr. Tino's son isn't misplaced."

She smiled tentatively at him, then glanced at the wall clock. "Oops, I should get going. I need to get to work, and you'll want to get on with your day." She cleaned up her meal trash and discarded it in the waste can by his desk, and he rose to walk her out.

At the door, he asked, "So you'll be coming back later today to pick it up, finished or not?"

She nodded. "I get off at four-thirty, so I should be here no later than five."

"Well, just give me a call if you're running late and I'll wait for you to arrive."

Her smile was bright. "Thanks. See you." And with that she was gone.

There was no reason for it, but he watched her scurry down the street until she turned the corner. Time to get busy.

xx

Over the next three days, this same scenario played out each morning, and then each afternoon she returned to retrieve the watch. He thought he had found the problem. Now he was trying to locate a replacement part in his stash of old watches that weren't worth fixing, hoping to avoid having to make it. That always took longer and cost more, though when he mentioned it, Jyn was unperturbed at the greater expense. All she wanted was for the pocket watch to function, whatever it took to accomplish.

He'd had to remind her that he spent little time in the shop on Wednesday, as he traveled to service larger clocks on premises and to search out old watches and clocks for donor parts.

On Friday, he stopped in the diner for lunch, and to catch up on any news Chirrut and Baze had to share. Just as he was leaving, Bodhi came in. It had been nearly a month since he had seen the other man. "Working hard?" he asked, pulling out his wallet to pay.

"Oh, hey, Cassian. Uh, hi." Bodhi scratched at his neck nervously. "Yeah, I was working on a story. Look, I…I wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Cassian didn't look up from counting out payment for his meal.

"Well, I sent Jyn Erso to your shop—"

"Yes. Thanks for the recommendation. I appreciate it."

"Sure, of course. But…it's just…I didn't realize who her father was when I did it."

Cassian added the tip and looked up with a sigh, stashing his wallet back in his pocket. "It's all right. Business is business. She mentioned it, not knowing who _my_ father was. We managed to reach an amicable truce, of sorts."

"Good. I'm glad. Only…" Bodhi licked his lips anxiously and looked away.

"What? What's wrong?"

"The story I'm working on, well, I…I think it's going to stir things up again."

"What do you mean?" Cassian felt a chill run up his back.

"It's just…you see, if it pans out the way it's headed, it's going to dredge up that whole issue again – with your father supposedly stealing. Only this time, the finger will be pointing somewhere else. With evidence as proof that was missing before."

"So? I'm all for anything that clears my father's reputation." He still wasn't seeing the problem that was making Bodhi so edgy. Well, edgier than usual. The man was always on the twitchy side.

"It could cause an uproar at Empire Labs and…dent their reputation. That could affect Jyn Erso."

"Still, if my father's cleared—"

"Yeah, but…" Bodhi dropped his voice even lower so they wouldn't be overheard. "It could mess things up with you and… Well, Baze and Chirrut didn't think you'd want to see her hurt. They indicated that you might care about her."

Cassian's jaw tightened. "Baze and Chirrut like to meddle," he growled.

"Well, sure, but that doesn't mean they're wrong," Bodhi acknowledged. "It's one of the things in their life that gives them pleasure – meddling when they think they can help others." He gave Cassian a wry grin, and Cassian found it hard to disagree, or stay upset with the two men.

"Thanks for telling me. I'll keep it all in mind." He hesitated, unsure how much Bodhi could share with him. "How…soon is all this likely to happen?"

"Soon. Very soon." Bodhi raised a significant eyebrow, then clapped him on the shoulder. "Anyway, I have to grab something quick and get back to the office. Uh, good luck?"

"Yeah, thanks, I guess."

xx

The short conversation stayed with him the rest of the afternoon. Why were Chirrut and Baze suggesting that there was something between he and Jyn? Yes, he had admitted she was an attractive woman and, yes, she had joined him at the diner for dinner twice, but that was all. She was an interesting person, and her coming right at closing time made it natural to invite her to join him to eat when he wasn't planning to go home and cook. It didn't particularly signify anything more. For that matter, Jyn had given no indication of any attraction to him.

No, theirs was strictly a business relationship. That was all. Chirrut and Baze would have to find somewhere else to meddle. He anticipated finishing the watch today, if all went well, or tomorrow at the latest, and that would be the last he was likely to see of Jyn Erso. The empty feeling inside wasn't anything out of the ordinary. He was always a little down this time of year. Not unusual at all.

Despite all his denials, his stomach gave a swoop when she arrived just after five-thirty as he was feeding K2. "Hi," she said, watching him from the office doorway.

He scraped the last of the food into the dish and set it down on the floor, where K2 set to eating at once. "Hi," he replied, tossing the can in the trash, and picking up the waste bin to empty it in the dumpster out back. He had made the mistake once of not tossing the dog food container and the next morning his office reeked of it.

He gestured out toward his work bench where he had left the watch and she moved in that direction, now being familiar with the store layout. "I think I'll have it done tomorrow before I close the shop," he told her, putting the waste can by the rear exit door. "I'll just need to fit the part in and make sure it works properly."

"What was wrong with it?"

He had noticed her curiosity about anything unfamiliar to her. "Come take a look – I'll show you." He flipped the light on, and unfastened the back, then drew her over to look through the magnifier on a swing arm. With tweezers he indicated the part that had been faulty. "This piece. It needs replacing. I finally found one that I think will work. I'll install it tomorrow and check things afterwards, then let it run until closing time to see if there are any difficulties with it keeping time or stopping."

She caught hold of his hand holding the watch, moving it around under the magnification as she looked more closely at the watch workings. His hands weren't cold, but still warmth seemed to radiate through his fingers at her touch and he drew a steadying breath.

It was unnerving how easily his supposed disinterest crumbled in her presence. He was far more aware of her, of everything about her than even he had realized previously. When – how, for that matter – had this happened? Was it his imagination that she reluctantly withdrew her hand? Was she truly unmoved and oblivious to the effect she had on him? He shook off his musings. Loneliness, that's all it was. He just needed to start getting out more and socializing. He was making too much of this.

The next morning, Jyn was running a little late and didn't arrive until a quarter past eight. Considering it was the weekend, that wasn't surprising. When she did finally appear, she looked tired, as though she had not slept well.

"Stay out late last night?" he teased, but her solemn expression didn't shift as she laid out their breakfast. He had told her that she didn't need to bring food for him every morning, but she kept at it anyway.

"Hmmm?" she murmured distractedly.

Suddenly awkward, he merely said, "You look tired. I just thought…"

She shook her head, rubbing at her temples. "No." It appeared the conversation would end there, but abruptly she added, "Grandfather was in the mood to talk last night, so I sat up with him. He told me lots of stories of his life, of Gran, of Dad growing up, even about me as a little girl." She bit her lip, slowly shaking her head defeatedly. "You know…I..I think maybe he _is_ getting near the end. I think maybe he's right about that." She looked up at Cassian. "I hope you can finish the watch today."

He nodded, trying to put some comfort and reassurance into the simple gesture. "I'll certainly try. Don't give up hope. I'll stay as long as necessary to get it done."

"Oh, no, I didn't mean for you to…I wasn't hinting for you to work longer than you planned today." He could tell her chagrin was real.

"I know, but it is important to you, and I don't really have any particular plans for the day. I'll close the shop at the usual time, but keep working undisturbed, if it comes to that."

"Thank you," she said softly, offering a wan smile. She took a bite of danish, then hesitantly asked, "Would…would you mind if I sat here and read while you work? It's rather cold to sit in the park, but I probably could go to the diner if you prefer. Though I guess they might not like me taking up a table for several hours, come to think of it."

He chuckled. "They wouldn't mind, even if you didn't buy food, but you are welcome to stay here." He gestured behind her. "I have the loveseat you can curl up on. It's much more comfortable than that chair."

"Thanks." This time her smile was stronger and more heart-felt.

"Speaking of which, I should get to work." He gestured around the office. "Make yourself at home. I started a pot of coffee so there's that. Give a yell if you need anything." He pointed to a small door. "There's a restroom of sorts. Cramped, but sufficient in a pinch."

She nodded and, as there was nothing else that needed to be said, he dumped his trash in the can and moved off toward his work bench. He worked steadily for the next hour and a half. He had half-expected Jyn to come hover over his shoulder to watch, but that hadn't happened. That was _not_ disappointing, he told himself. It meant he could focus solely on the work. Well, mostly. Knowing she was in the office mere yards away was a little distracting. At least no one called or came in to further split his attention.

At length, he stood, stretched, and worked his shoulders to get the kinks out. She was a customer, and therefore a guest, so he thought it best that he check on her to make sure all was okay. He almost called out to her as he approached the office doorway, and only just was able to check himself when he saw that she was asleep. He smiled. It really wasn't unexpected – she had certainly looked like she needed it, but he had thought it rude to suggest a nap to her. One thing was certain – she fit on the loveseat much better than he did in a sleep position.

She was curled up, as if cold, and he realized she probably was. The room wasn't cold, but he knew a person's temperature dropped as they slept. Reaching over to the small coat rack, he pulled the blanket off the hanger and went to drape it over her. She had dropped her book on the floor and he picked it up, glancing at the cover: _Writing Down the Bones_ by Natalie Goldberg. There was another book on the floor near her purse: _The Writer's Journey_ by Christopher Vogler. She had mentioned working with Bodhi, and he worked at the newspaper. She must be a writer, though she had said she had a boring job. Likely it did not entail any sort of creative writing, then.

He stacked both books next to her purse, but before he stood up again, her eyes came open.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

She shook her head and rubbed at her face. "No, that's okay. I hadn't meant to doze off, but as I said, I was up late talking to Granddad."

"You're a writer?"

She looked confused until he gestured toward the books beside her, then her cheeks pinked. "Trying to be," she muttered.

"Shouldn't the answer to that question be yes or no?" he asked, sitting down in his guest chair.

"What do you mean?" She twisted her neck to look at him, but didn't sit up.

"Well, either you write or you don't. Maybe you don't consider your work good or maybe you aren't yet published, but if you write, aren't you a writer?"

She considered this, then nodded. "I guess so. Well, then I'm a writer. Maybe not a good one and maybe not published, but I am a writer."

"What do you write? Poems? Fiction? Non-fiction? I know you said you work at the paper, but it was boring, so I'm guessing you don't do much writing there."

Her cheeks pinked again and she looked away. "You'll…think it's silly."

"Why? Do you write romance novels or something?"

She shook her head quickly. "No, but…but" – she waved a hand at him – "you were in the military. The no-nonsense type."

"The military doesn't define what I read. Trust me, I don't read military manuals for fun and leisure. And, no, I don't always read military-based stories either, though sometimes I do. Try me."

She considered his challenge, then met his eyes. "I write fantasy. Like Tolkien. Well, okay, not like Tolkien – I wouldn't dream of comparing myself to him, but stories that have magic and fantastic creatures and the like."

"Right up my alley. I enjoy all that stuff – fantasy, sci-fi, speculative. You'd be surprised how many in the military do." He slapped his hands on his knees and stood. "But, now I should get back to work."

"Just came to check on me and make sure I wasn't stealing anything?" she teased.

"Of course not," he told her, pretending to be affronted. "I have a sight line on both the exits – you'd never escape!" With that he left the room to the sound of her laughter. He was glad he had given her a reason for a lighter mood.

Cassian had only been working for forty minutes when the office door opened. He was fine with her having closed it, whatever the reason. There wasn't anything in there to steal or snoop in and, despite their earlier banter, he wasn't worried that she would anyway.

He heard the click of K2's nails before he noticed Jyn was with the dog. "I think K2 needs to go out. Do you want me to take him?"

He glanced down. The Lab seemed unbothered by Jyn; perhaps she had been around enough lately that he was used to her.

"Sure, if you don't mind." He pointed to the rear exit. "There's a grassy area out back. Just open the door – he knows where to go."

He watched them leave, pondering the completely domestic feel to this entire day. There was just something very comfortable having her reading in his office while he worked, and taking the dog out for him. Almost as if they were more than just acquaintances. With a sigh, he got back to work. He wanted her to have this today. It would please both her and her grandfather if he could manage it.

xx

Done. He glanced at the clock – with twenty minutes to spare. There wasn't time to start work on anything else, so he made phone calls letting people know that their clock or watch was ready for pickup on Monday, and how much they owed. When he was done with that, and his work bench organized so he could sit down and start work promptly, he switched off the light and went to find Jyn.

This time she was awake and reading, but she looked up when he entered.

"Finished," he told her, holding out the watch. "It seems to be working fine, but let me know if it stops again. I wound it already, so it shouldn't need it for a while."

She took it tenderly, then clutched it to her chest with both hands, closing her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. "I was so afraid it couldn't be fixed."

He drew the chair near and sat down in front of her. "Jyn," he warned gently, "I know you said he seemed to think his life was tied to this watch, but whether it is or not, my fixing it won't resolve his problems. Don't let yourself believe that and be hurt."

"I know." She gave a sniffle and dug in her purse for a tissue. "Maybe…maybe I just want him to pass on…content. He has been so agitated with the watch not working, I hope it being fixed will ease his mind. That's all."

He nodded and squeezed her hand briefly.

"I usually take K2 to the park for a short walk on Saturdays when I close. Would you like to come with us? He isn't up to much so it rarely takes more than half an hour before he's ready to return to his cushion. Afterwards, you're welcome to join me for lunch at the diner, if you don't have plans."

She smiled. "I'd like that. Both."

She stood when he did and folded the blanket, holding it out questioningly. Grabbing the hanger, he put it back in its spot and tidied the office, then slipped on his coat. Jyn was already wrapping her scarf around her head and neck as he took the leash from the coat rack. K2 knew their routine well, and he was at the door just in time for Cassian to fix it to his collar.

The park was only a block away, back off the main street from where the shop was situated. The wintry weather and pending holiday meant there were few people there. As usual, Cassian let K set his own pace. While the dog was snuffling at something interesting, a jogger passed behind them on the sidewalk, her labored breaths turning to fog in the cold air.

He followed the woman with his eyes. "I need to get back to running," he remarked idly, more to himself than Jyn.

"You're a runner?" she asked.

He looked around and hunched his shoulders. "Not a runner so much, but they kept us in good physical shape in the military. Since I've been out, there's been so much to do and then sitting at that work bench for long hours most days…well, I'm definitely out of shape."

"Not overweight, though," Jyn observed.

"No, not that. I eat pretty nutritiously most of the time, and I'm not big on sweets. I'd be more worried about not exercising if my weight was creeping up. Still, I feel…flabby, you know? Soft."

She nodded. "I was on the tennis team in college, but I really haven't done much consistent exercising since then. Maybe I should join you in running. Or even just walking – that's supposed to be equally beneficial, but with less stress on the body."

"Maybe you should," he replied, not at all displeased with the prospect, assuming she actually meant it. "Maybe that can be one of our New Year's resolutions."

"Do you miss it? The service?"

His brow knit for a moment. "No, not really. The physical conditioning and discipline of it, yes, but always following someone else's orders and living your life by their rules and their time schedule isn't all that great. Still, I was proud to serve my country – at least most of the time. Sometimes the higher ups made decisions that those of us on the ground didn't agree with, but in the military, you don't have a voice in such things. Now if I think something is wrong, I have the freedom to say so."

"Yes," she murmured thoughtfully. "Those in power are fond of putting the rest of us in a position where we dare not oppose them, so they can do whatever they want, no matter who it hurts."

He canted a glance at her from the corner of his eye, wondering if she had personal experience of such a thing. If she did, she didn't speak of it, and he chose to respect her privacy.

K2 shuffled up to him and favored him with his 'it's time to go home now' look. Likely the very cold weather was not to his liking. At least they had gotten in a ten minute walk, plus the return trip. "All right, K. We'll go back."

"That didn't take long," Jyn commented, as they headed back to the shop.

"No. The older he's gotten, the less he's tolerated the cold. I just let him decide what he wants. In the summer, he'll stay out longer, but not when it is cold or wet."

"You'll lose him soon, too, won't you? Just like I'll lose Granddad."

"Yeah. He belonged to my dad, but I've shared a large part of my life with him. I'll be sorry when he's gone."

"Will you get another dog, do you think?"

He inhaled and let it out slowly. "I'm not sure. Not right away, but maybe after a few months or a year I'll want the companionship again." He chuckled. "Besides, it will be good incentive to get me outdoors and moving if I have a younger dog that wants me to keep up with him."

They reached the shop and Cassian got K2 settled back in the office, snuggled under a warm blanket. He knew the dog would throw it off once he was warm enough, but it helped chase away the cold initially.

The water dish was filled and the thermostats adjusted. He'd still need to come back later to feed K again, but that was it for now.

"Okay, let's go."

"I don't know about you, but I'm frozen, and in desperate need of the best hot chocolate to warm me up," Jyn announced as he locked the shop door.

He chuckled. "My apologies to the lady for causing her present discomfort with chilly walks in the park. Let us away to the diner for warming 'best hot chocolate'!"

xx

It had been a pleasant day, spending much of it in Jyn's company, but now the watch was repaired and returned to her. There was no reason for him to see her again any time soon. At the diner she had given him her address so he could mail the invoice to her. And that was that.

Everything seemed grayer than before. It was as if Christmas had already come and gone, and taken all the cheer of the season with it. Weather and the holidays meant business was slow, and that just made the days seem even longer, and harder to fill. He had known the job would end, and it had. It made no sense that he was having more difficulty moving on than he had on any other job.

Maybe it was that Jyn had been more attentive throughout the process than most clients were. Usually the item was dropped off for repair, and then picked up when it was finished. Other than those brief encounters, there wasn't a great deal of personal interaction with any of the customers. Just the usual polite discourse with clients. Until Jyn had changed that. And left him wanting…more.

Well, it couldn't be helped. She was gone, the job was finished. He needed to get his head out of the clouds and get back to work.

TBC

Note: I'll post Chapter 2 tomorrow, as your Christmas present.


	2. Time to Every Purpose 2

**Chapter 2**

Ever since Cassian had gotten out of the military, he found it difficult to adjust to the sheer 'noise' of the everyday world. On base, you didn't always have a TV or radio blaring at you. That meant that he tended to find most radio personalities rather annoying, and much preferred listening to his own CD collection during his commute. He could skip the commercials, the pointless chatter and be assured of hearing music that he liked.

Similarly, he avoided the TV as well. The news as presented tended to be biased and depressing. Instead, he could skim the headlines online each day and only go more in depth on worthwhile stories without all the filler. He knew both his television and radio listening habits set him apart from most of society, but he cared little for their opinion on the matter. It worked for him and let him get through each day with a minimum of frustrating outside stimulus.

And, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone other than himself, he had a fondness for Christmas music. His predilection for controlling his musical input meant he could start folding in Christmas songs even before Thanksgiving, and no one was the wiser unless they rode in his car during that early period.

Today followed his usual pattern: bathe, shave, dress, drive to work listening to his music, and then the daily tasks of the shop. Not so typical was the answering machine indicating he had three missed calls before eight in the morning. Even so, he took K2 out first and put down his food before going to listen to the messages.

The first came up: "Cassian! Today, page 1. Let me know what you think!" The caller didn't identify themself, but it sounded like Bodhi. Number two played. "Mr. Andor, this is excellent news. I just wish your father could have lived to see it. Congratulations!" The final one was from Baze. "Your dad is vindicated at last. We're happy for you. Stop by at lunch – there's supposed to be a press conference at eleven-thirty, and you can watch it here with us."

Cassian slowly sank onto the stool at the counter. Taken together, the messages could only mean that the story Bodhi had mentioned had been published. The nearest print news vendor was a shop next to the diner, and he considered walking down now to see what was in the papers. He would have expected to feel unbounded joy at this news, but instead, it was more a sense of relief, and something less easily defined.

This happening right before Christmas and with Jyn's grandfather failing in health, she didn't need this added burden. While he didn't know how involved she was directly with Empire Labs, the fact remained that her family owned it. No matter what, this would affect her in some way and not likely to be a positive one. For all his gladness on behalf of his father, he very much wished Jyn could have been spared all this. None of it had been her doing, but she could not avoid feeling the effects.

And that meant he was the last person in the world she would want to hear from, or see ever again.

He forced himself to focus on work, and didn't allow himself to go find a newspaper. Unfortunately, with business so light, that only kept him occupied for a couple of hours. At length, he gave into the inevitable, locked the shop early and headed to the diner.

He was barely in the door before Chirrut called out, "Ah, there you are, Captain. We've been expecting you!"

He didn't doubt that for a second. "I need some change to buy a newspaper."

"No need." Chirrut held up a copy that was resting next to the cash register. "We saved one for you. This is big news and the papers were going fast."

Chirrut's comment made him all the more curious about Bodhi's article. He had thought it was merely a case of Krennic being caught stealing, but now it appeared there was more to it than that.

Taking the paper, he said, "I'll be at my usual table. Would you have Teddy bring me a cup of coffee?"

"Certainly, my friend."

Several cups of coffee later, he finally set down the paper after multiple readings of the very long article. What he had assumed was a simple case of theft, actually went far beyond that. Krennic had had his dirty little fingers in all sorts of shady dealings, and was being brought up on charges filed by the FBI, the IRS, and even the SEC for suspected Insider Trading. Galen Erso had been a scientist more than a businessman, and had given complete control of the company's finances to Krennic while Galen focused on what came out of the labs. When Galen died a couple of years ago, Krennic became even more powerful, and more out of control. It would take quite some time to uncover all his crimes – if they ever did – but what could already be proved was enough to put him in prison for a very long time. What it would mean to Empire Labs, however, was less certain.

"Cassian?"

He looked up, blinking. "Yes, Teddy?"

"Baze says come up to the counter. The press conference is supposed to start soon."

Cassian glanced around. The lunch crowd was light today, at least so far. Even so, this viewing wouldn't be private, if anyone else cared to pay attention to it besides Cassian and his friends.

He settled on a stool near the end of the counter, by the TV. A few minutes later, Baze delivered food to a table close to the door and then joined him. Chirrut came down to lean on the counter from the opposite side. His timing was impeccable as the reporter started with his spiel just as Chirrut arrived.

The man ran down the background of the story, lightly touching on the points made in the newspaper, and then the camera was turned on an official who spoke of how the different agencies had worked together to catch Krennic and upend his criminal schemes.

He gave a rundown on what had been happening in the courtroom just minutes before, and then took questions from the press. Just as the official concluded the conference, Jyn appeared from the courthouse behind him. Someone with her was trying to escort her around the waiting press, but they began calling out, trying to get a comment from her.

"Miss Erso, is there anything you'd like to say about the explosive revelations that have come out about Orson Krennic and his mismanagement of your grandfather's company?" The most vocal reporter held out his microphone in anticipation, and the others leaned in as well to catch her words.

Jyn started to turn away and circumvent the crowd, but then thought better of it. "Actually, yes, there is." The man with her said something softly to her, but she waved him off.

"A good man had his name and reputation dragged through the mud because of Orson Krennic's lies. I can never repair that damage, but I want to make it perfectly clear that Tino Andor was no thief. Krennic pinned his own crimes on Mr. Andor, and I am ashamed that my family had any part in that. Mr. Andor did not live to see himself fully exonerated, but I can only hope that his remaining family will see fit to forgive us. I also wish my own father could have lived to see this. He never suspected Krennic, but he always remained astonished and puzzled at the claims made about Tino. Neither of us could believe such a thing, especially when no firm evidence proved any misdeeds on Mr. Andor's part, though neither was any found to fully absolve him. Krennic was very thorough in directing everyone's attention away from himself, and sadly very successful. I am glad he was discovered and will now pay for the harm he has caused to others."

She again went to leave, but then turned back with one last comment. "Oh, and if anyone needs work done on older watches or clocks, I highly recommend Andor's Timepieces. I have used their services to restore a much valued personal item, so I know whereof I speak when I say their service is of the highest quality."

As she and the man accompanying her moved off camera, his companions looked at him.

"Someone's on your side," Baze commented wryly. "Did you pay for that advertisement?"

Cassian flushed red. "Of course not. She's merely a satisfied customer, who luckily for me is presently high profile."

Though Jyn had departed, the reporter continued talking, and they had a freeze-frame image of her in the corner of the screen while he finished out the broadcast. She looked tired, exhausted even. He was sure between her grandfather's decline and the arrest, it was wearing on her. He certainly hoped she wasn't also trying to continue to work through all of this.

Baze shoved away from the counter and moved back toward the kitchen. "Well, maybe it will help a little in drumming up business to replace what you lost when all this began. You can't object to that. And she's right – you do good work." He disappeared through the swinging door.

"I am pleased this turned out well for you, Captain, though I am sorry for Jyn's embarrassment due to the controversy. However, I think she is pleased with the outcome as much as any of us are, regardless of what it cost her."

"At least there seem to be no hard feelings," he said, noncommittally.

"There is that," Chirrut replied with a grin.

Cassian used that as an escaping point from any further discussion of Jyn Erso. "Well, I need to get back. See you later."

"Of course, Captain. Thank you for coming."

"Bye, Cassian," Teddy called from farther down the counter, and he waved farewell to the young man as he exited.

Cassian walked and walked and walked some more, lost in his thoughts. When he finally got cold enough to notice and realize he should get inside, it took him a moment to get his bearings and even figure out where he was. He wasn't often so inattentive. For all that hiking around in the cold, however, his thoughts had merely tracked in circles, without reaching any conclusions on what he should do or even how he should feel. This had to be the strangest holiday season he had ever encountered. Nothing about it felt very festive or cheery, and even the snippets of Christmas songs that drifted through his mind didn't pull him from his mental malaise.

Part of him – a rather significant part of him – very much wanted to call Jyn and talk to her about everything. But she had enough to deal with just now. She didn't need to be trying to make him feel better as well. Quite the opposite, he should be looking for ways to ease her distress.

He let out a frustrated growl and began a stiff-legged charge back to the shop. This had to stop. It had to stop now.

xx

This time of year still was not ideal for his particular business, so foot traffic in the shop remained light. However, after Jyn's proclamation on TV about how good his work was, he did receive several calls from people wanting him to look at clocks or watches, and promising to bring them in after the first of the year. He could only hope they followed through.

That they mentioned hearing about him from the press conference made him realize that if nothing else, he should thank Jyn for putting forth that effort on his behalf. It wasn't like that should have been her first thought at that particular moment. Yes, that she wanted to clear his father's name made sense, but to promote the shop was something else altogether.

On top of that, he did rather wonder how her grandfather was doing. He had never met the man, but after listening to Jyn talk about him, and working on that watch for so long, it almost felt as though he knew him.

And, Bodhi – he hadn't seen or spoken to him since the article revealed all Krennic's lies and suspected crimes. He should thank Bodhi for that. Baze answered when he called the diner. "Whills Café."

"Hi, Baze. Do you have Bodhi's work number? I wanted to let him know how much I appreciated the story he did."

"Sure – got a pencil?"

"Go ahead."

Baze rattled off the number and then had to get back to his stove. For several minutes Cassian sat staring at the number. It was Christmas eve. Perhaps he should wait until after Christmas to call. Were they even working today? Of course, it was a newspaper, and the news didn't rest.

Before he could second guess his motives, he entered the number Baze had given him. Someone would answer, or not.

"Rook here."

"Hey, Bodhi, it's Cassian. I haven't had a chance to thank you for the article you did on Krennic. That must have been a lot of work, but I appreciate that you took the time to see that he gets what's due him."

"Hey, no worries. That story was a big break for me – biggest thing I've worked on, and my bosses were quite impressed. I got a promotion out of it and everything. So you and I both won on this."

"That's wonderful. I'm happy for you. I read the article – you were very thorough." He hesitated, then took a breath and decided to go for it. "Oh, and do you have Jyn's work number, by any chance? I should thank her, too, for the nice things she said about me and Dad in that press conference." Calling her at work would keep it professional, or at least appear that way, he rationalized.

"Oh, sorry, no I don't. She quit her job last week. I'm not sure if she went to work elsewhere or is between jobs. With the Feds going through everything at Empire as they continue to investigate and gather evidence, she may be taking some much needed time to herself before she moves on. Didn't you know?"

"Uh, no. She hasn't had reason to come into the shop since I finished fixing her grandfather's watch. Thanks anyway."

Before he could hang up, Bodhi blurted, "Wait! Let me ask around. Maybe someone here knows her better than I did. I'll let you know what I find out."

"Uh, sure, okay. Thanks." As Cassian hung up the phone, he shook his head. Why was he even doing this? Probably the last thing she wanted was to talk to him and face that embarrassment all over again. He should just leave her in peace.

He slumped down in his office chair and K2 stiffly shuffled over to lay his head on Cassian's leg. Without conscious thought, he began to stroke the dog's head and scratch his ears. The thing was, he missed her. Which was stupid, really. He barely even knew her. In the brief time he had spent in her company, she had revealed very little about herself personally. No doubt she considered theirs a business relationship and, until such time as she had need of his repair services, that business was concluded. And, for some reason, he found that to be an incredibly disappointing thought.

He rubbed a hand over his face and tossed the paper with Bodhi's number into his desk drawer. He was being foolish and this needed to stop. He was behaving like some kind of addlepated teenager, imagining feelings that didn't exist. Even if they had finally laid the past to rest, that did not a relationship make. Jyn Erso would go on with her life and he would go on with his, and that was that. Before he could backtrack on that decision, he headed for his work bench. Putting on some Christmas music as a distraction, he forced his attention to watch repairs. A new year would be here soon. Let all of this be in the past. This nonsense ended now.

He managed to lose himself in work for several hours, surprised when he looked up and saw that it was nearly four o'clock. Aside from two phone calls this morning and one person stopping in, who had asked directions to the mall, business had been typically slow. He reminded himself that today was Christmas eve. Repairwork and antique clocks and watches weren't a high priority this time of year, and failed to make most Christmas lists. He yawned. He didn't like doing it, but there wasn't much point toughing it out until his usual closing time. Maybe he'd finish up a couple of last things and then close early. If nothing had happened to this point, it wasn't likely to now.

He had just tidied up the work bench and switched off the light when the bell on the door jingled. He was almost disappointed to hear it. He had gotten himself into an early-close mindset and now that plan might have to be scuppered. Moving into the shop, he skidded to a surprised stop.

"Jyn… Uh, hi. I wasn't expecting to see you. How are you? I mean, all that…it had to be hard." He was jabbering; he needed to stop talking.

Jyn smiled slightly, then said thoughtfully, "No, actually, it…it feels good. I'm glad it turned out as it did. Remember I told you that I couldn't believe Mr. Tino was a thief? Well, I was right. I'm glad that was finally proven. And, truthfully, I can't say that I'm at all sorry to see Orson Krennic gone. He always made me…uncomfortable. It's one of the reasons I avoided going to my father's office. I didn't want to see Krennic. I'm just sorry he was able to hurt so many people before he was caught."

"Yeah."

He couldn't think of what else to say, and Jyn seemed equally at a loss for conversation. There was also an odd tenseness to her posture. It wasn't that she looked nervous seeing and talking with him, it was something…else. Suddenly her quitting her job and coming here now struck him as being unusual. She must have had a reason that he couldn't discern.

He noticed they were both just standing there staring at the floor. "Uh, would you like to sit down? Have a cup of coffee?"

She glanced around the shop. "Well, do you have the time? I don't want to keep you from your work." She sniffled slightly. A lot of customers were doing that in this cold weather.

"No, no, it's fine. It's been a slow day. Come in the back. I'll hear the bell if anyone comes in."

He caught himself just before he put his hand on her back to guide her toward his office. She knew the way and he couldn't presume such intimacy with her after their disquieting interactions to this point.

As she settled into the extra chair, he asked, "How do you take your coffee?"

"Oh. Black is fine. I can use it."

He glanced at her over his shoulder, but she didn't explain her comment. As he turned to hand her the mug, K2 rose from his basket and padded over to her, laying his head on her knee.

"K, behave yourself." The dog didn't usually get friendly with the customers other than perhaps to sniff them briefly. He had never seen K2 do something so affectionate with any of them, even Jyn when she had previously come into the shop.

She had already placed a hand on the dog's head, however, and appeared unbothered by his attention.

"If he becomes a nuisance…"

"No, no he's fine."

She gently stroked the dog's head, lost in her thoughts and it felt wrong to interrupt. To his consternation, she bent down laying her face against the dog's head, her eyes closed. Without looking up, she flicked her hand at the corner of her eye. Were those tears? Whyever she was here, he wouldn't push – she'd tell him soon enough – but something was very wrong, more than he had realized.

"I, uh, I wanted to let you know…" She paused to draw a deep, steadying breath as she sat upright again. "Let you know that Granddad passed away, yesterday afternoon." Her eyes flicked up at him and then quickly back to the dog. "His…his watch stopped…as…as…" A sob escaped, but she forced it back. "As he took his last breath. It seems his premonition was right." She bit her lip trying to restrain her tears.

Cassian reached behind him for the tissue box and set it near her. "I'm so sorry, Jyn. I know how much he meant to you. And that on top of everything else you've been going through…I'm so sorry."

She straightened and tamped down her emotions, setting the untouched coffee on his desk as she stood. "Well, I should go. I just thought…well, that you might want to know…" She drew a breath. "I should go. I didn't want to bother you, but I didn't know who else… I should go."

Before she could open the door, he was around his desk and caught her elbow. "Jyn, don't leave. Do you…do you have any family? I know your parents are gone and it was just you and your grandfather in the house, but other family? You shouldn't be alone right now."

She gave a convulsive jerk of her head. "No, it's just me. I..I'll be fine. Really. Thank you."

He didn't release her arm when she halfheartedly tried again to exit the room. He knew the pain of loss that she was feeling. He had felt it more times than he cared to remember. No one should have to cope with that alone. They barely knew each other, but he couldn't just send her off with his condolences and trust that she would be okay.

Instead, he followed his instincts and hoped he wasn't making things worse for her. He drew her into the circle of his arms and held her close. She didn't resist the embrace, but neither did she encourage it, standing stiffly in the face of his compassion. Then, slowly, she began to crumble and the torrent gave way. She clutched the back of his shirt in her fists, as she heaved great, gulping sobs. How long had she been restraining her grief and tears, refusing to let the pain bleed out of her? That never ended well. She needed the release, and he would hold her as long as necessary.

The few times he had indulged and let himself imagine her in his arms, this was never the scenario he envisioned. Even so, she felt as good, or even better, within his embrace than he could ever have dreamed. She fit perfectly, and it seemed the most natural place in the world for her to be. Now was not the time, but it was clear to him that he could not simply pretend they were mere acquaintances, a benign business relationship, or that he was okay with that possibility. At some point in the future, he needed to pursue this and find out what Jyn's inclinations were. He inhaled her scent, for now letting that suffice in filling his longings.

Not for the first time did Cassian bless his father's wisdom of putting a loveseat in the office. More than once, Cassian had slept there, albeit uncomfortably, since a two-seater wasn't designed to fit a full-grown man laying on it. Now it allowed him to sit beside Jyn and not release her from his embrace while they shared all the pent-up pain she had been keeping to herself.

Eventually, the tears began to subside and Jyn slowly regained control, along with a measure of embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I…I didn't mean to break down like that." She blew her nose and dabbed at her still damp eyes.

"Think nothing of it. You needed the chance to grieve, and I doubt you've let that happen until now. Mourning the passing of a loved one is not a weakness."

She was steadier, her composure recovered. Decisively he stood and turned to face her.

"Come on. You shouldn't be alone right now. We'll go eat at the diner so you can be with people who like and care about you." He caught hold of her hands and tugged her to her feet.

"Care about me?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "They barely know me."

He grinned impishly. "That may be, but with them, if they know and like you, then they care about you. And if they find out your grandfather died, and when and where the funeral is being held, they'll close the diner and show up just to support you during such a painful event. Trust me on this."

Jyn gave a hiccup, then pressed her lips together, trying to repress further tears and emotion. Cassian squeezed her shoulder in understanding. "They like you – you'll be with friends and they won't push beyond any boundaries you set. I promise. Your family is gone now, much like mine is, but they will welcome you home as if you were always one of their own. That's just how they are."

Jyn smiled hesitantly, likely not entirely believing him, but willing to trust him for now. "I'll…let me just go wash my face first." She gestured to the restroom and he nodded.

While she did that, he prepared K2's food and gave him fresh water, then prepared the shop for closing up. When she returned, they bundled up and set out for the short walk to the diner. Last minute shoppers bustled by on both sides of the street, oblivious to the gaudy window displays and Christmas street decorations.

They were almost to the diner when Jyn commented, "You know, it doesn't really feel like Christmas to me. I see the lights and the shoppers, and I hear the music, but…it all just feels meaningless."

He gripped her elbow reassuringly. "Don't let it get you down. Of course this year would feel that way, with all the negative things that have happened recently. Gradually the numbness will pass, and you should be able to regain the festive spirit in the years ahead, when the pain isn't so fresh."

She gazed in his eyes for a moment, then nodded. They reached the diner door and Cassian maneuvered them inside, hung up their coats and got them settled in their usual booth at the back.

Once Teddy had gone to get their drinks, Cassian commented, "Bodhi said you quit your job. Did you find something you liked better?"

She looked surprised that he knew that, but it didn't appear to bother her, fortunately. "Oh, no. It's just with the arrest and Granddad failing, it was too much trying to deal with work also. I mean, it's not like I need the money, really, but I wanted the work experience. It just wasn't…as useful as I thought it would be."

She hesitated, and seemed to have some sort of internal debate. He sipped his hot chocolate and waited. Finally, she confided, "There's talk that Alliance Inc. is interested in buying Empire. I've never been much interested in the business – that was more Dad's thing. Granddad actually started it years ago, but Dad evolved it far beyond the scope of what Granddad had done with it, and took it in a direction that didn't interest him, so he turned it over entirely to Dad, though he retained an ownership share. I inherited Dad's, and now, probably, also Granddad's. If I sell it to Alliance, I can put it entirely behind me."

"And have enough money to comfortably devote to a writing career?"

She blushed, but shrugged. "Maybe. But I won't need to work for a while, and that will be nice in having time to get everything resolved."

If she sold Empire to Alliance, he could well imagine she'd nearly be set for life. He didn't doubt she had plenty of money as it was, but had chosen to use the bus rather than drive a car or take taxis. If she continued that sort of frugality, she'd likely be comfortable financially for a long time.

"If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." He meant it sincerely, not that he had loads of free time or resources to back it up, but he'd find a way to make good on the offer.

The truth of it was that her finances would be soaring while his continued to decline or, at best, hold steady. With an inaudible sigh, he acknowledged the monetary disparity, but what he could offer was friendship, and that appeared to be something she was greatly in need of right now. He could provide that.

It was a very slow night for the Whills Café also. A few diners put in appearance, but were quickly done and gone. It left Chirrut, Baze and Teddy with a lot of free time to stop by the table and visit with them. By nine o'clock, it was evident that business was done for the day. Baze had already cleaned and closed the kitchen in short order, while Chirrut and Teddy shut down the rest of the diner for the night.

Through it all, Cassian and Jyn sat, enjoying hot chocolate and conversation. Though she didn't say so, Cassian suspected she was reluctant to end the evening and go home alone to her now empty house.

Once they were finished with their cleanup, the three congregated at the table with Jyn and Cassian, sharing in their conversation. No one seemed inclined to call it an evening and head for home.

At length, Chirrut said, "Where I come from…" He paused expectantly, and Jyn assumed he was prompting a response when he turned his head in her direction.

"China?" she offered.

He grinned. "No, Cleveland. Where I come from…" he continued. Baze rolled his eyes as Teddy laughed.

Cassian leaned in to whisper, "Sorry. I should have warned you that's his favorite joke on newcomers."

She patted his arm to let him know she didn't mind, and a thrill ran through him when she didn't remove it afterwards.

Chirrut concluded, "…and so we gather all who are in need of a family, and join them with ours. Every holiday, whenever you do not have other plans, you are welcome to come share our meal and friendship. No invitations are sent, no gifts are exchanged; just drop in if and when you can, for however long you choose to stay. Cassian or Baze can give you the address and directions."

"Thank you," Jyn told him warmly.

His generosity seemed to have helped ease her heartache, at least for the moment. And Cassian was glad of that – it was what he intended when he brought her here. What he hadn't expected was realizing just how strong was his attraction to Jyn Erso. They had gotten off to a rocky start, but he had never been able to blame her for any of what happened to his father, even that first moment she approached him. He had lied to himself and tried to believe it was his imagination that he was developing feelings for her, but he couldn't fool himself into believing he had felt nothing as he held her in his arms and consoled her.

Was it merely loneliness? Since leaving the service, there had been so much to do that he'd had little time to focus on a social life of any appreciable sort. He'd met a few women through the last couple of years, but he'd never felt he had the time to devote to a relationship, and so he never pursued anything more than a casual acquaintance with them. Was all of that now catching up with him, so he was no longer satisfied living his life alone?

"Cassian?"

He blinked. "Hmmm?" Jyn was giving him a questioning look. She must have spoken to him while he had let his thoughts stray. "Yes?"

"I asked if you could write down their address for me. I think…I think it might be good for me to go to Christmas dinner rather than staying home alone and indulging my sorrow."

"I'll do even better, if you have no objections – I'll give you a ride with me."

"Oh, thank you. I'd like that."

"Speaking of which, we should be going so they can close up. Did you ride the bus? I can drive you home, if you like."

"Perhaps that would be good so you know where I live, for tomorrow."

"Yes." He stood and went to retrieve their coats, holding hers for her to put on as she rose. "Fellas, we'll see you sometime tomorrow. Good night."

Good nights echoed amongst the others as they made their way to the door. Jyn paused to pull on her gloves and he waited patiently before opening the door. A light snow had started falling, and he suspected the temperature had dropped as well. Gloves would be welcome; too bad he had left his in the shop, but he could grab them quickly before he drove her home.

He felt Jyn's hand on his arm, and turned questioningly, just as she rose up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, catching the corner of his mouth. Not that he objected in the slightest, but he was surprised. It must have shown on his face for she smiled and pointed up. For the first time since he had been coming to the diner, there was mistletoe hanging over the door. He canted a glance toward the back where Baze and Chirrut were watching over the swinging door, both grinning like fools. Those sly, old dogs. He had no doubt they had planned this intentionally, with Cassian and Jyn in mind.

For her part, Jyn blushed slightly and looked away. He wondered if maybe she, too, was realizing they were stepping beyond the bounds of a business relationship with this. If so, he couldn't detect any disinclination on her part. Maybe this Christmas would be his best one in a very long time.

The End

12/11-12/23/19


End file.
